It Just Comes Naturally
by CyKiESuMMerS
Summary: Cute fluffy-ish oneshot-ish plastonic-ish piece. UPDATED: 2 NEW CHAPTERS! TWO! 1 bonus update! After the holidays, Kitty and Scott have to deal with the weirdness, all the X-Men come back, school starts, & there's an upcoming dance! WHAT WILL HAPPEN? It gets so fluffy...
1. Chapter 1

**A.N.: I adore Scitty as much as I adore your feedback. Get back to meh, guys!**

**Just a start, aiiiight?**

**Persuasive Even in Your Sleep**

**-X-**

In the early mornings, when everything is still slightly colder and beds are just right and so warm and comfortable in the most impossible way, getting up is even harder.

Especially when all you want to do is linger in bed just a little longer, soaking in the warmth, drowsiness- but then of course. Some people had alarm clocks.

The mutants of Bayville had Scott Summers.

As the leader of the X-Men, Scott did all of his chores dutifully. The one he hated most though, above protecting citizens, fighting bad guys, cleaning out the gutters, waxing the Blackbird, and training daily, was the one he did faithfully every week day morning. Waking the kids up for school, individually if they denied hearing him in their slumber.

First he woke the earliest, dressed and washed swiftly and then briskly walked down the corridors, banging on each door as he passed, shouting out, "RISE AND SHINE! Time for school! WAKE UP!"

Then, after some moans, grumbles, yawns, and complaints, reluctant kids would step out of their warm beds, wince at the touch of cold air and cold floor on their bare feet away from the safety of bed, and slowly start their days. There were often stragglers, people who could not wake up or would not and who would just crawl back into bed and lie their blissfully.

Scott hated to deal with them individually.

It was mostly the boys, mainly Kurt and for the girls, Tabitha was a problem as was Kitty.

Jean was never a problem, and she often was up around the same time as him.

On this particular morning, as the mansion woke up and there was a general hustle and bustle and breakfast being made, Scott found one door still closed and sighed as he went in to Kitty's room.

Rogue was just at the mirror putting in a black earring, and then promptly walked out with her bag, mumbling a good morning to Scott. Not at all thrilled at him always seeing her in either her pajamas or bedhead in the mornings, still tired and face nude of make up.

Kitty was snuggled in bed, warmly wrapped up in blankets and sleeping soundly with a content smile on her face.

She had her hands curled under her and she looked so cozy and adorable that Scott did not want to wake her. But he had to, as school was important.

Scott placed a warm hand on her gently and shook her. "Kitty, wake up, time for school. You'll be late."

Kitty groaned and grunted but did not open her eyes.

Scott groaned and sat on the bed and shook her more. Kitty blinked open one blue eye and the flush of warmth in her cheeks made Scott just want to curl in bed with her and close his weary eyes and sleep in the warm bed.

Kitty moaned, "I'm soooo tired Scott, I can't get out of bed. Please let me stay in bed!"

"Kitty, just get up you're old enough to know you're being ridiculous."

Kitty chided him and pulled him into her bed and sleepily drawled, "Like, get in big boy! This is like so much better than school."

She yawned cutely and sleepily muttered while softly whimpering, "I just want to sleep."

Scott tugged at her and she tugged back harder and pulled him under her covers as he laughed and sighed, "Alright, we can lie here just for a couple minutes, and then you're getting up."

Her eyes were already closed and her breathing was soft as she laid her head on his chest contentedly and scooted her little body close to his, wrapping the sheets up around them.

Scott turned on his side and placed an arm over her and rested his eyes for only a moment, enjoying the warmth and comfort of her bed and her warm body against his.

Yawning and stretching, Scott opened his eyes and blinked curiously, a little confused.

He was very warm and everything was soft to him.

The sun light in the room was brighter and there were birds chirping lazily outside, and then it hit him that it was well past the afternoon.

Scott turned his head on the pillow to look at Kitty hugging him close to her and sleeping heavily.

He laughed out loud at the fact that she still had her hair in a pony tail in bed.

Her dark brown bangs were over her face so he moved them out of the way then groaned, "Kitty, wake up. We overslept."

Kitty stirred and nestled her face into his neck and wrapped her arm over his stomach.

Scott's stomach tightened, as it did when someone got a little too touchy feely with him, as his demeanor was not one familiar with being affectionate.

Kitty, in her sleepiness, stroked his hardened abs with her fingers and murmured, "Guhhh."

With a look down his chest at Kitty's head, Scott decided that he really liked the rosy blush perpetually gracing the young girl's cheeks.

Deciding that he was definitely overstepping his boundaries of being too soft, he rose up and rattled Kitty.

"You-no, we, are in big trouble." said Scott hopelessly.

Kitty stretched her body, wiggled her toes and opened clear blue eyes to stare at Scott hazily. She grinned as if thinking of some fading memory or pleasant dream and sighed, "What time is it? I've like never slept soooo well. I'm feeling all rested up. Ready to take me to school, then Scott?"

Scott sternly stared at her, his dark eyebrows ridged over his glasses and muttered, "I should know you know exactly what you're doing! Alright, so you got your way and didn't have to go to school, well you're going to all the classes you missed to get what ever you have to make up and do."

Kitty hugged his chest and cried out, "Thank you! Like, you're not so bad sometimes, Slim. Can we like get some food though? I'm so hungry! I'm starving!"

She rubbed her eyes and leaned on his shoulder playfully, "But Scott, like what would be the point of going to school now? We're like already so like late."

**A.N.: Like, review?**


	2. Mistletoe'd

**A.N.: Happy holidays everyone! This is just a chapter I came up with real fast today on Christmas eve. Kinda sloppy, but I wanna get it out**

**Merry Christmas, Hannukah, Channukah, whatever other religious affiliations you have!**

**Supercyke: Thanks! I like to try to make Scott seem more playful than the comics, cartoons and movies let him. I'm glad you're reading my stuff! I can see your a JOTT fan, which doesn't hurt! Well happy holidays in the U.K.!**

**wolverine15120: I am continuing this, thanks for reading and reviewing! Hope you have an awesome holiday :o)**

**X-Men Christmas!**

* * *

In most circumstances, Jean Grey and Rogue What's-Her-Face did not acknowledge each other at school.

In this case, Jean was a little worried about her boyfriend's absence at school, and anxious since he was never missing from school, and had been up and about the same morning.

Thus, Jean approached the anti-social southern girl who had a taste for sheer green shirts over black tank tops.

Jean nearly gagged at the horrible Hot Topic-inspired attire and turned around, but then her determination kept her going until she reached the goth.

The redhead meekly smiled and asked, "Hey Rogue, have you seen Scott? Do you have any idea where he is?"

Rogue looked up, surprised that the overachieving red head was talking to her within the school's premise.

Rogue was also taken aback by the question, and blushed unnecessarily at a simple question about the boy she was always crushing on.

She replied, "Uh, no Jean, ah haven't seen 'im since this mornin'. Ah think he was just comin' in to wake up Kitty and then ah left. Is he not here?"

Jean shook her head, "He hasn't been to classes and I have a feeling he didn't show up for school. I wonder what happened. He never ditches school."

Rogue merely shrugged, wanting this awkward encounter to end, "Ah dunno, sorry Jean. Ah'm sure he's fine and there's a reason he's not here. I wouldn' worry 'bout it."

Shouldering her back pack on her shoulder, Rogue staunchly turned to leave and go to her next class.

Jean sighed and figured that Rogue was right and tried to communicate with Scott through her telepathy.

* * *

"So mmf-there was-*chew chew* this one t-*munch*ime, *swallow* when I was so sleepy that I just went through the ceiling to make you think I was already gone and at school. But instead, I landed in one of the spare rooms and just fell back asleep there. It was a pretty good day. Haven't you ever ditched school?"

Scott stared incredulously at the petite girl gobbling her chilli dog in big bites, and then his look hardened, "No, Kitty! Of course I've never ditched. That is so unacceptable!"

Kitty laughed and Scott protested, "Really!"

She gave him a look.

"Okay, so yes, maybe I had a bit of senioritis this year, but that is no excuse, and I've never ditched school before. I've only not gone when I had tight deadlines and needed to stay in all day to work on something, and if my classes were easy."

They were sprawled back on Kitty's bed and eating from a paper bag from a hot dog stand somewhere nearby. Kitty was still in her pink pajamas and she had convinced Scott to change into his flannel pajama pants and a Christmas sweater, promising her end of the deal of wearing a Christmas sweater that a non-Jewish relative had sent.

Nevermind that Kitty was Jewish, she said that she would wear the sweater in all of its holiday irony and cause some controversy in the mansion.

Scott had told her that he was only a little more lenient to her attendance since it was their last week of school before winter break and he was feeling in the holiday spirits.

Scott gulped down the rest of his hot dog and reached over to wipe a smear of mustard from the tip of Kitty's nose, where she had smothered her hot dog. Kitty went cross-eyed to follow where his finger was going and thought to herself, 'How does he still always make me feel this way?'

"There was one incident that you will absolutely not tell Jean, when I wanted to impress this girl, and so I took her out during third period and we didn't come back until lunch. I figured precal didn't need me."

Shadowcat's blue eyes widened and she gasped, "I remember that day! That's the day you didn't show up to math! What a rebel. Who was this girl and what did you guys do during school?"

Scott blushed and shrugged, "It was just Taryn. I just took her to the city and we spent the day at cafes and Central Park."

Kitty mock-shook her head in disapproval and took a swig from her lemonade.

"That's so romantic. I wish a guy would do that for me."

Kitty sighed and then changed the subject. "My parents aren't going to be home this Hanukkah and they want me to come on a ski trip with them. What are you going to do over break?"

The fearless leader looked down and mumbled, "Uh, I dunno, might just stay here as usual. Jean's family invited me to go to Connecticut, but I'm not sure if I really want to."

Kitty stared at him, wondering if he was feeling embarassed or worried for the holidays, since usually he was among the only remaining while the other kids went to their families.

She nudged him and said, "Well, that sounds like fun! I know how you feel though, I'm not really sure if I want to go on a trip this winter. I mean, it'll be great to see my family, but they're going to be so busy I don't even think we'll have much time together. I wouldn't mind spending it at the mansion for once."

They both looked out the window at the beautiful sight of snow caking all of nature outside.

"This was fun, makes me wish I had more days like this."

Kitty turned to Scott and smiled, "See? Cheer up boy scout, the best things about life are the little tiny perks."

Scott rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, thinking that she was completely right and that she was one of those little tiny perks.

They both snapped out of their reveries though as the door downstairs opened and the kids were finally coming home from school.

* * *

**Christmas Eve**

**"**I'm going to miss you a lot." Jean kissed her boyfriend and then grabbed his face and kissed him again. "A lot a lot."

Scott grinned and returned each kiss, "You have fun, I'll miss you too. Tell your family I say Happy Holidays and that my packages will arrive a week after you get home."

Jean kissed his lips again and delightedly said, "They love you Scott, I still wish you were coming home with me."

Scott shrugged, "Sorry, maybe the next holiday we get, but you know how it is."

He hugged her tightly and then opened the door for her to get into her taxi cab.

Before closing the door, Jean reached up again and gave him a lasting kiss.

After watching the yellow cab drive off in the snowy road, Scott walked back up the white path to the mansion's gate and entrance.

He was wearing a Christmas knit sweater as part of his bet with Kitty and was surprised to see her bounding back up the stairs as he came in with a pair of skis strapped to her back and the rest of her luggage.

He caught up with her and picked her bags up from her hand and queried, "Kitty? What are you doing still here? And why are you moving your stuff back up?"

Kitty grinned, "My trip got canceled. My parents don't want me flying in this weather, anyhow. So I guess I have the mansion all to myself! And of course you all to myself."

Scott nearly dropped the suitcases but composed himself and only blushed.

Kitty was wearing an oversized Christmas knit sweater with snowmen, Christmas trees, and Santa knitted on, and Scott only wore a dark blue one with a giant white snowflake pattern.

Scott joked, "I'm going to have to get you a Hannukah present of a new knit sweater with menorahs on it."

They piled her things back into her closet and finished up, awkwardly looking at each other, as Scott did not leave her room immediately.

Rogue walked in and rolled her eyes at the two, murmuring, "Aw great, the Christmas sweater duo. One's a semetic an' the other's a nondescript atheist."

She flopped onto her bed and brought her laptop out to watch a DVD. Scott pouted, "I'm not an atheist, I just don't practice religion much."

Rogue gave him a sardonic nod and put her ear phones in to watch her movie in silence.

The pair left Rogue alone in the room and Scott loudly whispered with a smile to Kitty, "She may try to act like Scrooge, but you know she's really watching 'The Night Before Christmas' or something."

Kitty giggled behind her mittened hands and snorted, "Wrong, that's too morbid, even for Rogue- more like a romantic holiday comedy. Like 'Love Actually'."

That evening, some of the left over staff and students staying behind, gathered in the common room where Amara had a fire started and there was a table of punch, cider, egg nog, refreshments, and candy.

Holiday decorations were set up as were menorahs and other Jewish decorations which the Professor had gotten.

Someone had placed a Santa hat on Logan and he was getting loaded with beer and spiked egg nog and once in a while hit on Ororo in a very gruff and awkward manner.

The students played games and frolicked around in Christmas attire and Rahne, whose family lived too far, was being scolded by Scott with Jamie.

"Dammit, Jamie, Rahne is not a real dog! And Rahne, why do you let them do this stuff to you? It's not a time for an identity crisis. You're a girl! A human girl. Who can sometimes grow fur rapidly and fangs but in truth, you are a young girl who just gets confused sometimes. Why are you a dog while I'm talking to you? Hey-cut it out! Stop licking me! That tickles!"

Rahne, the dog was licking Scott furiously and affectionately, with a red ribbon from an unwrapped present that Jamie had tied around her neck.

Scott broke down and rubbed her behind the ears and sighed, "Even as a puppy you're kinda cute."

Scott suddenly screamed and fell backwards though as the dog turned into a girl who was on all fours with her tongue out and short pig tails on her head and a red ribbon tied in a bow around her neck.

He wiped his hand on his jeans and panted. Rahne crawled over to him and pressed her human nose to his and gleefully cried out, "So ye think I'm cute as a sheila too? Fantastic!"

Scott backed away from her and spluttered out, "Don't ever, ever do that again, Rahne! That's just wrong and disturbing."

He muttered indistinctly, "Creepy...Australian wolf chick thing..."

Still shaken by the incident, Scott sat on the couch next to Kitty who was feeling giddy from the holiday spirit, celebrating Christmas with her friends, and maybe a little too much of the spiked egg nog.

Out of nowhere, Kurt teleported next to her, in between the two on the couch.

He held up a mistletoe and shouted out, "Mistletoe! Muuah!"

He puckered up to Kitty's face and Kitty giddily leaned forward towards his face, and he excitedly leaned closer to kiss her.

Kurt gulped, feeling a strange sensation and fainted when he saw Kitty's whole head submerged through him and her neck sticking out of his face.

Kitty had phased through Kurt, and her face popped up out of Kurt's back next to Scott's face. Scott jumped back at the shock of seeing Kitty's face disconnected and sticking out of Kurt's back.

She was rosy cheeked as ever and smiled sweetly, whispering, "Mistletoe, Scott..."

She leaned in to place a light kiss on his unsuspecting lips.

Scott felt a feeling like electricity wash over him, at the light non-touch of her lips fusing with his while her atomized lips felt like a light and nonexistant touch of molecules of warmth.

When he opened his eyes, Kitty's head was gone and Kurt was still between them, passed out from the experience of having someone go through him.

Scott looked wide eyed at Kitty, but she was gone and seemed to have disappeared mysteriously.

Scott mused if she had used her escape door of phasing through floors.

With a sigh, he remembered why it was he put up with the holidays in a mansion full of mutants, without always feeling like a void where his family was missing.

Last Christmas, Jean had been home and she had cornered him against a door way and leaned in close to him, lowering her lashes. "Look up", she had said.

He did and the last thing he saw was a mistletoe floating with her telekinesis above their heads.

Then came the kiss and Scott's Christmas woes were all forgotten.

As he thought of this memory with Jean fondly, he felt a bit worried that she might not exactly be very happy with his kiss with Kitty during Christmas eve.

But then again, it was a phased kiss, meaning her lips were not solid, and therefore not even kissable.

Scott felt immensely relieved at the thought of Kitty's mutation and then came the real question.

Why did Kitty Pryde phase-kiss him?

* * *

**A.N.: Happy Holidays y'all! Hope ya get lotsa presents n' shit. **

**Just thought I'd add a phase kiss controversy of whether or not that is actually cheating. Kind of a parody of Emma's psychic cheating not really counting. What's youre vote? Does it count?**


	3. When We Finally Kiss Goodnight

A.N.: Hey everyone! I'm back with something to go with the holiday spirit! Thanks so much to Supabec for being a SUPA reviewer! Hahaha, thank you for last year's nice Christmas gift review. Hopefully you're still around to give me one this year for this chapter!

Also thank you so much to ACEOFSPADES95 for your review~ You have definitely helped me motivate myself to try to start writing some ff again and continue this story, cause I was at a long writers block out of neglect and lack of inspiration, but I tried and pulled some material out to continue this story! Hope you review and let me know your input on this chapter!

Enjoy everyone and happy holidays to everyone! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and everything else!

* * *

3

That night, Kitty tossed and turned in her bed, once in a while letting out a frustrated moan that could not awaken heavy sleeper, Rogue, who slept like the dead, fortunately. She beat her plush pillow in with a fist, biting into the cushion to muffle herself.

She and Kurt had let themselves have a bit of the spiked eggnog and for the petite mutant, it was definitely effective, and now she was writhing in regret and a warmth that flushed her face. But it was not exactly the trace amounts of alcohol in holiday punch that had done this to her, but rather the outcome of what whim and holiday cheer and a light buzz had done, in provoking her to dare land a smooch on Scott Summers!

She bit her lip as the warm drowsiness of the alcohol finally stilled her nerves and restless body. It had been so impulsive and in the moment that she was still in shock over her own deviation.

Looking to her pink bunny eared alarm clock, she could barely make out that the clock had just struck midnight. The numbers became blurry though as sleep had finally conquered the giddy young girl.

The steady tick tock of the clock counted her off to her sleep, the warm walls of her bedroom and heat from Xavier's excellent wall to wall heater made it easy to lull off to the rhythmic ticking. The steady ticking became soft urgent raps on wood though and a bleary eyed Kitty sat up underneath the heavy cave of her covers and stared at her door before fully waking up and slowly getting up to answer the door.

Her stuffed dragon Lockheed, softly fell to the floor with the peeled off bed sheets.

In just long plaid pajama pants, and tousled hair that told that the beholder of the hair had also rested somewhat fretfully in bed, Scott stared back at Kitty through ruby sleep goggles.

Kitty groggily reached forward in the darkness and touched live flesh and hard, warm abs.

To her surprise, Scott did not move back, so she thoughtlessly reached up and touched his face rather experimentally more than sensually.

Also warm, and firm, yet she was surprised to find the fresh prickly stubble that would surface slightly during the night only to be shaved cleanly in the morning. She never really thought of Scott shaving or having the same average human traits of messy facial hair to deal with. He was too much of a golden boy that it was easy to forget that there was a life and flaws behind the image.

She grazed his chin and then rose his hand up to his cheek and then gave it a sharp, eye-watering pinch.

He reached up and cupped the hand that was touching his face for a moment, then lowered her hand with his and mumbled, "Kitty? What are you doing?"

Kitty looked up and jerked her head back startled, "Scott! Oh, I-I was still a little disorientated, I just drifted off to sleep and like I like was just checking that you were like...here. And real. Not a lucid dream." She giggled nervously.

"Oh...well...ow!" Scott reached up and rubbed his cheek a little.

Kitty helplessly shrugged and asked abruptly to shed attention away from herself, "What brings you to my door at midnight?"

The tall boy stared hard at her for a second and then muttered sheepishly, "I...forgot..."

He was staring at her in her pink pajamas and at the spaghetti strap that had slipped off her shoulder. She promptly pushed it back into place, growing uncomfortable under the leader's stare and his sudden lapse in thought and behavior unusual of him.

Scott caught on and was snapped back to attention and looked up above her head in an embarrassed manner, remembering his words, "Um, I wanted to ask you something actually."

Kitty's stomach filled instantly with butterflies and her voice caught in her throat, what could he possibly want to ask her at 12 AM?

Scott looked down at his bare toes sticking out under flannel pants and scratched his tousled hair before clearing his throat and asking, "I couldn't sleep really...I mean, I can't get you out of my head. It's all so confusing and, and Kitty-did you mean to kiss me tonight?"

Kitty gulped, but could not swallow. Her cheeks were ablaze and she could hardly remember to breathe in and out.

Now he was looking at her seriously, head slightly cocked and eyebrows set in a puzzled manner. The flat prism surface of his ruby goggles reflected nothing in the dark winter night.

Reflecting on what bravado the eggnog had given her tonight, Kitty boldly replied, "Maybe. Not. No!" Picking up what the incoherent and excited ideas in her head were forming, she coyly but shyly grinned and resumed her light teasing relationship she had with the older boy, "Oh, Scott! You would know better of all people, that that was not a proper kiss. It wasn't even a kiss if you call it that...It was through Kurt's head! Did it even happen? I don't know if we even really touched lips. No...that was not a real kiss. This...this is a real kiss..."

Tilting her head, she reached up to hold his head and leaned in for demonstration, drawing closer and closer...

Until, the trademark chipper beeping of the Nokia ringtone broke in the silent corridor she had backed Scott into, away from her bedroom door.

He stared down at her expectant face for a second and hesitated, eyebrows furrowed up in what was either horror or confusion or panic or excitement or all of those in one expression.

But then he reached into his flannel pockets and fumbled with a compact mobile phone, that was vibrating and ringing in his shaking fingers.

He nearly dropped it as it burst out of his hand, but he snatched it out of the air and then snapped it open, answering, "H-Hello?"

He hesitantly waited for an answer, and for Kitty the moment of boldness was gone, and she wondered of all coincidences, who would call at midnight at this exact moment.

Scott's face changed into nervous bafflement and then in an effort to muster up some pleasurable greeting he grinned in a panicky way, "Jean! H-hi! Merry Christmas to you too! Uh huh...yep, y-you called exactly when the clock struck midnight huh? To be the first person to officially say merry Christmas to me? Uh huh...uh-huh..."

Scott's voice drifted out of Kitty's hearing and her heart sank, and she readily retreated back into her room and shut the door quietly, before crawling back into her bed, picking Lockheed up and snuggling him close to her chest.

She pulled up the covers above her head and surrendered to a deep and heavy slumber, thinking Christmas wasn't all it was hyped up to be after all.

* * *

AN: Hope you enjoyed! This is just a short chapter to start me off and inspire me to start somewhere in adding on the story.


	4. The Aftermath

**AN: 2 new chapters! And I put review shout outs in the next chapter so look for your appreciation/shout out there if ya reviewed lovely reviewer!**

* * *

Aftermath

Standing in front of her dresser, southern goth belle, Rogue glanced back at her seemingly ill roommate, who had been cooped up in bed for days. "You sure you don't want to come out tahnaght?"

Rogue uttered these words uncertainly through her plump, matte black-purple lips, as if she were sheepish, having been on the opposite end of this conversation usually.

"Mmhmm." Muffled Kitty through her comforter, her brown hair untied and wild on her pillow.

Rogue hesitated, pulling a black leather jacket from her dresser drawer, and then shrugged hopelessly, before embarking on a journey into the night, to catch a movie with Kurt and dinner afterwards. Something Kitty would have usually been trying to drag Rogue out of her room for.

As soon as Rogue left, Kitty popped her head back up from her sheets and mournfully poked at the plate of pasta Rogue had brought up for her and left on her bedside table, when Kitty refused to come down to eat meals.

Guiltily and rather greedily, the young brunette girl wolfed down the square raviolis, thinking she could just have easily pertained food through her ghost-like, evasive mutant powers, earning her the alias Shadowcat. But pasta doused in Ororo's marinara sauce tasted so good through the salt of tears, a friend's pity, and the refusal to get it herself.

It was pathetic she knew, to stay in her bedroom for the remainders of winter break, but it was coming to an end and that meant that she would have to deal with reality again, school, and not to mention the returning students she was hoping to avoid out of sheer guilt and embarrassment.

Not to mention a certain leader who was probably downstairs right now not caring why she had not come down in a while.

Kitty knew that Scott probably had the good grace to not mention a word or acknowledge Kitty's misguided advances, to his girlfriend, Jean, but that was the worst part. That he would probably just brush it off like nothing happened, as if it did not matter.

But then again, he could also be tattling all to Jean, and even laughing at the poor freshman's silly crush on him and her thinking she could even have a chance with him.

She did everything she could to avoid Scott since the mishap, which involved doing nothing at all actually.

This was when Kitty wished she had Kurt's ability to morph in and out of places in a split-second, so if she wanted anything downstairs all she had to do was teleport, grab it, then poof, be gone again, out of sight.

It was a little creepier to travel through the walls and such.

With sheer determination, Kitty brushed off her sad state and focused on sinking into the floor, then cautiously but quickly phase-swam through it, across the hallway, and into the bathroom, where she took solace in a warming shower.

After dressing in her pajamas, but leaving her hair wet and tangled and loose, Kitty tiptoed down to the rec room, to check out what new reality show episodes she had been starved of on Bravo.

She clicked on the tv through the remote, standing in front of the screen, as to control the volume so that no one would hear it and come to the source of noise.

An orange woman with plastic-looking strands of yellow hair was shouting something in a lowered, muted tone as the green volume bars on the screen were eliminated. Her mouth was rimmed by bloated, taffy-like lips and she was pointing an orange freckle-speckled hand with acrylic nails at a woman who looked like her clone, only with larger implants.

A small snicker-like laugh came from behind Kitty, and she looked over her back. Scott, standing in the rec room with his gym shorts on and a soaked black wife beater tank top, looked over pointedly at Kitty, who had her mouth open.

Then, her arms flew up straight over her head as she yelped slightly, her wet hair also flying up, and vanished into the ground, sinking as fast as she could.

Curled up at the bottom of the mansion, beneath the building in a dark pocket of the earth, Kitty's heart thumped, her face heated and pink. She stretched her limbs out through the solid ground and shot up again, realizing how stupid her move was.

She resurfaced just outside the mansion door, then walked right through the walls, and bumped straight into Scott's very own muscle-ridged chest.

Before she could move or whimper, his hands were clasped about her shoulders and he kindly said, "There you are. Been looking all over for you. Kit-Kat."

Kitty squealed shortly, at the playful nickname.

He brought her over to a chair and sat her down.

Then, sitting across from her, he leaned forward on his lap and smiled lopsidedly, "You're one tricky girl to get a hold of."

Kitty decided to be rational and tried to brush off her previous goofs by saying evenly, "What might you have like, wanted to like find me for?"

Scott leaned back, surveying her under furrowed brows, crossing his muscled arms and replied, "To talk."

Kitty shrilled, "To me? B-but why? Like, what is there to like talk about, why would you like want to talk to me, it can't be important, I'm like not your-I mean, why would you talk to someone who doesn't matter, about things that don't like matter?"  
Kitty bit her lip regretfully, as if to still her quivering motor mouth.

Scott, being the good young man, nonjudgmental and aloof as he was, arched a brow before dismissing her nonsense.

Taking the tension and situation head on, he announced, "If talking to you, and reaching you didn't matter, why would I have spent a good eternity tonight looking for you? What would I be doing sitting here, making sure you don't scare off and trying to hold a conversation with you when I should be getting ready for bed early to get up early and pick Jean up from the station?"

Kitty gulped, bashfully staring at her fingernails.

Taking charge, and refining some of that rare leader power he reserved for the field, Scott prompted bravely, "Look, I just mean I don't want to beat around the bush, and just let you know what I have to say, straightforwardly, you didn't give me much of a chance earlier."

Kitty ruefully declared, "How could I? It was clear then, and it is now, I was just being...like, dumb and totally out of place with my actions, I don't know how else to explain it, I don't know how to like explain why I did what I tried..."

Scott asked incredulously, "Is that what you think? Is this how you assumed I felt about yo-this erm, incident?"

He cutely poked his ruby glasses up his nose and sighed, running a hand over his chin.

"Okay, just so you're real clear on this now, and can't run away assuming bad things about yourself, I'll have you know that I have spent a good few hours earlier on the treadmill and doing bench presses, trying my hardest to get you out of my mind. I came to you the other night to clear up my head, but instead you're in it even more than before. Do you know how frustrating a-a pipsqueak like you can be? Now I'm just sore and I need to talk to you very badly, Kathryn."

Kitty looked up, not understanding completely what she had heard until she saw his earnest face, looking at her in an aggravated but fond way.

"You are out of my reach, for many reasons. I care for Jean, I do, I did, and I never let myself get to the point where I'd think about you...a certain way, but you're making it very hard, Kitty. I don't usually think or act like this, but whatever has happened, have happened for some reasons or other, and I want to know first...why...did you...play with me like that?"

Kitty sat up straight, staring at him, his face mixed with sorrow and an innocent naivety.

Seeing his revealed oblivion and clueless boyishness, Kitty felt a new-found maturity and cool to her demeanor, and spoke reassuringly, knowing now this was how it should be and what to say to help this guy out, this guy who belonged to Jean Grey...not her.

"Play? I-I really wasn't like, playing with you, Scott...I thought you were doing that with me actually, the second time...But like, I guess, you know, we've been getting kind of more buddy-buddy lately, and like, not in the way Kurt and I are, or like how Rogue is to me, but like, I just like took it the wrong way and tried to show you the wrong way... I'm just not used to guys that much I guess, and I think because I'm like so inexperienced, but I can be like flirty, I just took my like, fondness for you a little too far, but it was all just like, expression! It-it didn't mean anything...in the way you might think...I was just like confused, but like I totally get it now, and like, I really like having you as a...friend. I hope this doesn't ruin what we had yet, like I hope you can see I meant no harm or anything, like no way was I even thinking about you like, not being with Jean, you know? It was just like a misunderstanding and like, nothing really happened anyway both times, our like, lips never even touched once, so like,...are we good?"

Scott's shoulders sagged slightly, and somehow he looked even less satisfied and relieved, to Kitty's surprise.

Scott grinned lopsidedly, dismayed, and said without seeming like he meant it, "Thanks for talking to me, Kitty, that's just what I needed to hear I suppose."

He looked at her intently like he wanted to say something more, elongate the conversation, but then he stood up and tugged at the hem of his black wife-beater and shrugged, "Well, now that that's settled, I should probably hit the showers and get ready for bed. Early morning and all...Well thanks for being a good friend Kitty, I'm sorry if I did or said anything to hur-offend you, and I'm glad I know where I stand with you now. Friends?" He hesitantly held his hand out and Kitty barely grasped it, touching it passively for a few seconds then letting go, and hurrying off to her sanctuary to escape the awkward tension.

* * *

As the mansion resumed with its bustling activities full of busy bodies filling it back in after their time spent away with family, Kitty wearily reckoned everything was just going to be how it always was, how it always should be, just normal again.

Jean had arrived early in the morning with Scott trailing behind her with her suitcases. She had been quite the welcome wagon and threw gifts she had brought from home towards everyone.

Kitty clutched her pink Christmas socks and Legally Blond DVD guiltily, half wondering if Jean was being ironic and subtly mean out of spite for the girl, humoring her with such gifts, but seeing the ever-so-charming smile from the green-eyed, pink-lipped, red headed beauty made her feel ashamed for having her doubts. Jean was giving her presents out of good intent, perhaps thinking this was her own way of choosing personal and genuinely selected presents for her friends, showing how much she thought about them in each one.

Could Jean ever go wrong?

As she leaned in, hip to hip with Scott, kissing him on the cheek, then more lasciviously nuzzling his ear, Kitty doubted it.

Being as apprehensive as before about being present with the redhead back, Kitty went up to her room, where Rogue had also retreated to, from the noisy downstairs area where all the returning students were exchanging gifts and stories and greetings.

Rogue was doing some homework and catching up on holiday assignments at her desk, silently as Kitty busied herself with straightening out her closet.

Rogue grumbled, "Already said yer hello's so fast?"

Kitty shrugged flippantly, "I'm just kinda tired, like not really in the mood right now."

Suspiciously, the sullen southern girl queried, "An' ah you evah gonna spill on wah you've been so 'tahred' lately?"

Kitty shoved her Christmas socks into a crevice in her closet and threw her unwrapped DVD into a pile of other ones scattered on the floor where Amara had barged in earlier, looking for some flick she had to watch for school.

She also put the other small trinkets that the other mutants had gotten her, on her bed. A parcel of fruitcake rolled in tinfoil fell off the bed, a gift from Jubilee's mom.

Kitty flipped her bangs back on her head and pointlessly stated, "Just stressing about...Pre Calculus, like I have an exam as soon as we hit school again."

Rogue mumbled, "Haven' seen you hittin' the books, doesn' seem lahk you're too stressed to meh."

Come to mention it, it was uncharacteristic of Kitty to show or admit stress ever, things were always bubbly and on the surface with her, but Rogue also knew that her friend was secretly the biggest math nerd Bayville ever knew, and her bobbing ponytail and perkiness hid it well.

Rogue attacked again, "Ah saw ya given lil miss Perfect the eyes today."

Kitty wrapped her mouth around a leftover candy cane quickly. "What eyes?" She said in between splintering cracks and crunches.

Her roommate shrugged, "Ya been a bit different lately, an' the way you were lookin' at the priss miss makes me think she maght have to do with it."

Kitty gulped, and peered at her friend, did she know? How did the quiet goth even notice these things? No, how could she? But she was too close to home.

Rogue added as an afterthought, "Oh, an' by the way it slipped ma mahnd, but Scott was lookin' for you the otha day, wonderin' where you been too."

Kitty giggled nervously, "Oh you know what like, a tight-butt he is, always like trying to be the leader and like checking on everyone like a hawk."

Nodding, Rogue grimly intoned, "An' even he noticed somethin' lahk your behavior an' distance. Ya know, I don' go aroun' sayin' this much, but if ya lahk need to talk, evah, I'm here, I'm no blabber mouth."

Kitty continued her giggling, wincing at the unnatural sound, "Oh shush Rogue, did Scott like put you up to this?"

Rogue pressed her purple lips together and gave her a dark look, "You think red eyes could evah' make me do anythin'? Thought you knew me bettah than that."

Turning back to her homework, Rogue resumed her silence, closing the opportunity to open up.

Kitty miserably stuffed some laundry into her hamper and gave up hiding in the room with Rogue there.

Not sure where to go, and not in any mood to step out, Kitty wandered to the small computer lab next to the mansion's library and flipped on her favorite computer with the faulty 'r' key, finding comfort in the bright blue-white glow of the screen.

She thought about visiting the Brotherhood to hang out with Lance, but even that did not seem appealing to her now, when usually the joys of breaking free and rebelling a little in going to see him and having fun with the sworn enemies diminished.

The thought of it did nothing for her, and so Kitty began clicking away on the mouse and keyboard, staring at rows and columns of complicated characters, digits, and letters, doing her best to suppress her misery by getting lost in the puzzle of numbers.

Kitty was an amateur hacker, it was a strange hobby she kept to herself, and while she did nothing malicious, she simply took pleasure in minor glitches and playing around with other computer systems in a harmless way, such as making Kurt's e-mail account page cluttered with floating hearts and distracting butterflies that invaded his screen whenever he tried to check his e-mails.

She also went as far as setting up a Canadian beer pop-up ad that consumed Logan's laptop every time he logged on to do whatever it is Logan did on the internet.

If Logan were to click on it, then his screen would go blank.

Today she idly tapped into the high school's grading system and checked her grades. finding nothing too worrisome, then out of curiosity she clicked on Jean's files.

All seemed as they should be, A's and an occasional B appearing, frowning however, Kitty clicked to blow up a grade of 'F' that tainted the older student's report file. It was under her elective class for Ethics, and if Kitty knew any better, she knew that Jean would not tolerate anything lower than a B, ever, although she was in her senior year.

Kitty knew that she shared that class with Scott, and checked Scott's files, but he passed it easily with an 'A'.

She also knew however, that this was the class Jean had managed to snare Scott in, using it as an excuse to attain a lot of tutoring from him, sliding her legs against his under the desk as he went over the rather easy course material with her. These were also the private sessions that they had shared the infamous first kiss in.

Apparently, according to Amara who heard from Jean firsthand, Scott was reading the text aloud to Jean when Jean would not take his tutoring seriously and kept getting distracted, staring at him, waiting for him to take a hint of the flirtatious vibes.

Mid-sentence, Jean had abruptly grown impatient and grabbed his face, and smacked a kiss upon his lips without a second's warning. Maybe he had been taken by shock, explaining his unaltered reaction, but Scott had simply stared at her in a puzzled manner, then asked, "What are you doing?" Almost accusatory.

He was so clueless, and as it was said, Jean then proceeded to overtake the leader in a spontaneous attack and pounced on him, knocking him off his chair and trying to have her way with him. To no avail. He almost angrily shoved her off of him, and stuffing his books back in his bag, stormed out of the library they had been in, with a spot of pink on each cheek. The next day, he had showed up at the other side of her locker door in between classes and asked her out on a date with an irritated but blushing scowl.

When Kitty heard the story, she had been appalled and so surprised at the naughty streak Jean had displayed, but passed it aside as pent-up frustration around having yearned for a boy like Scott for a while. She supposed that was the only way to get his oblivious attention and get him to ask her out, Jean was lucky that had worked out for her.

* * *

"Jean kind of broke it off with me, she said she wanted to take a break, said I made her fail Ethics and I was too much of a distraction right now." Scott replied in answer to an ongoing conversation he and the guys were having.

Kitty stared incredulously at him, and Bobby popped him in the arm, "So who are you taking to the dance now?" Scott laughed, "I don't know. Nobody if I do go, but I probably won't. Don't really care for it."

Iceman grinned slyly, "You don't seem too broken up about this whole thing, bro."

Putting his hands up, Scott asked, "I was pretty stressed at first, but it could be temporary, and I respect Jean's needs and if she needs time and space, I'm not going to whine about it."

"Soo...you wouldn't mind if a fellow bro took her as a date? Could I maybe ask her? Think how it would look if I, Robert Drake, took a senior girl to the dance!"

"Nah, Summers! Let me! You know what a loser Drake is with the ladies!", bad boy Ray interjected.

Laughing in jest, Scott settled, "Yeah, sure why not, do whatever you guys want. Good luck with that."

Whooping and hollering, the two young men ran off, supposedly in pursuit of Jean.

Leaving Scott and Kitty alone in the common room upstairs.

Kitty casually asked, "Jean broke up with you?!"

Smiling to the side a little, Scott turned his head to face her and nodded calmly, "Yup, it's been over for a couple weeks now, I just didn't really say anything. We ended things nicely, she just made it sound like she wants it to be a short break. I guess I understand, it is a busy time and I don't want to impose in her studies. She said she wanted to be all there or something for our relationship. I'm guilty since I was her tutor for Ethics and she didn't do so well even with my help. I guess I get in the way more than I help."

A harsh reaction brewed up in Kitty's heart cavity, but she bit her tongue and smiled kindly, "Well, I'm sure it's like not all your fault Scott, you're like a totally great teacher, and you like explain things well. Maybe she was just like distracted by herself, it happens to like the best of us."

The heart in Kitty's heart cavity melted a little as Scott grinned lopsidedly in his endearing way at her without warning, and he reached over and patted her on the head, "Thanks Kitty, that was sweet of you to say, made me feel a little better. Say, who are you going to the dance with? Alvers?  
The older boy scowled a little, trying his best to hold it back.

Surprised, Kitty thought about it, usually she would be consumed with fantasies and thoughts about the upcoming dance, being overly excited about it but days had passed and she hadn't even given it a second thought.

"Um, like, nobody, yet. Like, if I don't get a date I like won't go, like how like terrible would that be! And like, I don't think Lance like, likes going to dances."

Scott frowned, then grinned reassuringly, "Don't worry, you're going, someone's going to ask you I bet. There are tons of guys who would want to go with you."

Kitty's stomach did a weird flip, and she smiled back weakly, then excused herself to get some fresh air. Rahne and Jubilee and Jamie were playing frisbee outside.

Jubilee tossed the disk so it flew high into the air, and then sailed passed Jamie's head, so he dived head first after it, sliding onto the grass, and bumping out two other clones who sprinted forward to catch it.

One of the Jamie's caught the frisbee, then threw it towards a spot in between Jubilee and Rahne. As they ran towards each other, towards where the frisbee would land, Rahne leapt into the air and transformed into an agile wolfbane, and flew above and past Jubilee's head, snatching the frisbee out of the air before it could even land.

Latching onto it with her hands, when she landed in her human form, Rahne took the frisbee out of her mouth and threw it at Jamie again, but before it reached him, a thick black cloud bamfed in the sky, and Kurt appeared in the air in front of the frisbee, intercepting it, then bamfing into a tree with it.

Jamie and Jubilation ran towards the tree, and Rahne, in her dog form, barked up the base of it.

"Aw no fair, Kurt, you cheat!"

Kitty had to giggle at the antics of her peers, then having had enough of the outdoors, she trooped back inside, walking past the laundry room.

She stopped in her tracks, Jean was in there, ironing a familiar looking red letterman's jacket.

A knock caused the redhead to look up, Kitty rapped her knuckle on the door way and stared at her, "What are you doing?"

Jean paused, "Oh, I'm just ironing a letter on for Duncan, he needed someone, a girl to do it I guess, and he doesn't have a girlfriend right now or any other girls he knows enough to ask, so I'm just doing him a favor so he can wear it at the pep rally for the homecoming game and dance."

Lifting the hand holding the steaming iron, Jean showed the blocky BHS Sports letter she was ironing onto the scarlet varsity jacket.

Kitty nodded, then turned, dumbfounded.

"Oh and Kitty?"

Kitty looked back at Jean, who smiled nervously, "Um, can we just keep this between you and I? It's just, I don't want you to tell Scott, because it's not a big deal, and there is nothing or even a chance of anything going on between me and Dunc, we're just old friends, he's just an ex. I don't want Scott to get upset over nothing, I-I love him, so much."

Kitty arched a brow, "Didn't you dump him?"

Jean shook her head, "No, it's just a break, it's not like I even want to see anyone else, but like I think we need this so maybe, he can see...how much more he wants me, and maybe, take the initiative."

Kitty's jaw dropped, "You're like, testing him?"

Jean laughed a little, "No way! I would never do anything like that, it's not like I'm playing with his feelings."

The young girl wasn't as experienced as Jean in relationships, but she knew that if you were sure of the love, you wouldn't have to test the other's emotions, that showed a fishy uncertainty or maybe revealed a reason for her doubt.

Kitty's eyes went searchingly to Jean's face, could it be that Jean was insecure about how Scott truly felt for her? How could she and why would she? She was a telepath, and clearly she could know exactly how much and obviously Scott adored her.

The revelation was like the time Kitty had seen Jean's actual grade, the unusual lack of confidence that Jean emitted was like a crumbling bit of her image, the reputation everyone knew of her.

Then Kitty's mind went to the worst scenario, and suddenly worried if Jean had found out about Kitty's strange advances to Scott when she was gone.

However, Jean did not seem to let on, so Kitty, a little more relieved, said goodbye and left quickly.

* * *

During study hall at school, Kitty, seated next to Rogue who had a heavy pair of large headphones on, took her text book out and opened it on their adjoined desks.

Bending over notes for an upcoming Math test, Kitty tried her best to focus. A general buzz, shushed excited whispers and squeals mostly from the female population and a good amount of males of the classroom, made it pretty difficult. Since it was the week of the high school dance and big game, students were pretty excited, and hot gossip, speculation over who was going with who and wearing what, detracted from the consideration of school work.

In front of her, some senior girls were gathered around a desk, sitting on it and talking loudly.

Kitty looked up from her book and recognized Taryn Fujioka sitting in front of her, gesturing to a cheerleader who sat on her desk, while her seat partner looked on, adding to side conversation from three other girls all around her.

Taryn prettily shook her shiny black hair and confided, "Speaking of Jean, she ended it with Scott Summers a while ago, sooo, he's TOTALLY available again!"

The other girls listened attentively, eager to find out more. "Are you gonna get him to ask you to the dance, Taryn?" The seat partner inquired.

Taryn shrugged, "I wish he would have, but I'm not sure, I know his friend Paul is going to ask me, and he's nice. But Scott Summers is so delicious! I don't even know if Scott is thinking of going."

The girls shook their heads tragically, and one curly haired girl hopefully said, "Well maybe we can get him to change his mind..."

The cheer leader spoke up, "Jean's nominated for court though, she could be homecoming queen, but like, who would be her date?"

Taryn shrugged again, "As far as I know, she's not going this time, she said she doesn't want to without Scott."

This earned queer and aghast looks from all around.

Kitty widened her eyes, she had missed the announcement about who was in the running for homecoming queen and king.

Rogue side-eyed Kitty, having lifted one earphone from her ear, curious of what Kitty's attention was suddenly rapt on.

She did not smile, but her eyes twitched in an effort to constrain an eye roll at the terribly stupid, lame, and uninteresting conversation the older girls in front of them were having.

Soon enough, the bell rang, an students scurried out to lunch. Kitty grabbed her food then filed out to the quad, sitting against a tree where some of her school friends were settling down to eat. She noticed Scott about to sit down at a mostly vacant picnic table in the sitting area in front of her.

He was not alone, the cheerleader from her study hall who had been sitting on Taryn's desk must have taken immediate action on trying to take Scott Summers to the dance.

She was wearing her teeny naval bearing cheer leading uniform, bare arms and legs all but wrapped around Scott as he held his tray rigidly and looked bemusedly and politely at his peer.

Flipping straight, flippy shoulder length golden hair back with a hand, the girl squealed, "Did you like my routine at the last football game, Scottie? You should definitely see the ones I'm practicing for the upcoming pep rally! They're totally awesome."

Scott amiably smiled and complimented, "Yeah, I remember the last game, you're a great dancer Clover."

Seeing her opening, the girl leaned in forward, bending over and sticking her pointed nose straight against the tip of Scott's, with wide eyes she beamed, "Not only for cheers though, get me on the dance floor and I'm so totally wild!" She playfully demonstrated and grabbed one of Scott's arms, and bumped her hip against his in perky rhythm.

Kitty's eye suddenly went to Jean approaching the lunch area, having just gotten out of class.

Jean's posture stiffened a bit as she came to Scott's table.

Her long wavy bright red hair swished down her back as she swiftly looked from Scott to Clover.

Scott looked up happily at her and grinned lopsidedly, "Hey Jean, come sit down! I'm glad to see you."

Jean's large green eyes bore into the exposed naval of the cheerleader wrapped around him, as if to wish acid upon it.

Stiffly, Jean answered, "Better not..."

Clover squealed, "Yes, Jean, join us! I was just showin' Scott some dance moves, wondering what kind of dancer he might like even be! Can you imagine Scottie boogieing and getting down at the dance? Or in a tux?"

Scott modestly laughed and shook his head.

Jean gritted her teeth a second and mumbled, "No I can't imagine _'Scottie'_ on the dance floor. I'm sure he's a fine dancer though." She snorted, whether it was out of humor or pure hostility though, Kitty could not tell.

Clover put her hands together in sharp claps and then perched her pointy chin on Scott's shoulder, and smiled sweetly, eyes crinkled, "Well all he needs is a good dance partner to bring that down 'n dirty out of him."

Jean's green eyes could not have been more murderous. With an effort, she seethed, "So, are you going together?"

Scott tore a bite out of his peanut butter jelly sandwich and chewed, the side of his cheek balled up momentarily, then he stated, "I haven't been planning on going to the dance."

Although the emeralds of Jean' eyes were still blazing, a twitch at the corner of her scowl almost slipped into a momentarily relieved smirk.

She quickly left, and Kitty resumed eating her lunch as Jean passed by, not wanting to appear like she had just witnessed everything.

She could still hear Clover squealing over Scott, but she was soon preoccupied by food and the latest freshmen gossip.


	5. Besame Mucho

**Author's Note: THE DANCE!**

**Anonymous452- Thank you thank you so much for your encouraging motivational words haha, it took a while but I wanted to update this as fast as possible! Definitely served as inspiration haha, here are 2 new chapters! And speaking of hobbits…just watched the Hobbit…that Thorin Oakenshield is pretty dreamy…ANYWAY. Hope ya enjoy! Lemme know your honest feedback, love it or hate it, I'll just appreciate your review and take it into consideration!**

**Supabec- As always your reviews make me laugh and generally make me happy haha. Glad I turned you onto Scitty though, you seem pretty hardcore JOTT, like I was too hehe. Hope you enjoy these 2 updates! xoxo**

* * *

**D for Drama and Dance**

The night of the dance approached fast, before Kitty even knew it.

The mansion was empty and silent now, when previously dresses were being twirled around, girls were crammed into the bathroom applying makeup and curling hair, talking rapidly in incomprehensible speed.

This was Kitty's scene, but she was left out of it this time, having passed up on an offer from a very geeky boy she barely knew in her biology class who had quietly asked her to the dance just days before the weekend.

Kitty was slightly crestfallen about not having been asked by anyone else, and she had figured maybe Kurt would be her back up but even he was going with Amanda.

Rogue had worriedly looked at Kitty playing solitaire on her laptop on her bed while she herself put her hair up and put on evening gloves right before leaving for her dance date, Gambit.

Now, Kitty roamed alone in the still mansion, venturing to the kitchen for a snack.

Grabbing some chips, she headed to the living room.

Rounding a corner, an impact to her face jolted her and she looked up, having bumped into Scott.

Seeming surprised, he asked, "Kitty? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at the dance like everyone else?"

Kitty laughed, "Me? What about you?"

Scott shrugged, "I haven't been thinking about the dance, and I guess that serves me right, still being here."

Kitty probed, "There were a lot of girls you could have asked, it might not be too late for you to just go you know."

Scott shrugged, "We'll see, the night's still young I guess. Now why aren't you there?"

"No one asked me to go… Well, correction, no one I wanted asked me to go with them."

Bemusedly smiling at Kitty, Scott offered a simple explanation, "They were probably too scared to get the guts to ask you. You'd be surprised by how guys can be around cute girls."

Kitty blushed and looked down.

"Can't believe you're here though, and not at the dance, Kitty Pryde of all people at home on a Friday night! This must be some rare event, like a blue moon happening."

Kitty made a face at him, "Ugh, you're right, like now that I'm hearing it from you, I'm starting to realize maybe I shouldn't be here when the only one staying in too is the biggest dork in Bayville!"

Jabbing her side in retort, Scott earned a squeal from Kitty. Kitty stared regretfully at the darkening window, but snapped back to attention when Scott mentioned, "Hey by the way, Rogue told me to let you know not to open her closet today, she said there's something in there she can't let you or anyone see, and if it makes weird noises, to just ignore it."

Kitty made another face and shivered, "Omigod like why would I even want to if I heard scary noises? Does she have like a snake in there ohmigod! I can't go back to my room now!"

Scott chuckled, "She said you'd react like that or something, so she's not too worried you'll find out."

Before he uttered the last word, Kitty was already gone, challenge accepted, zoomed back upstairs and threw open the closet door in defiance.

For a second, her anticipation grew but what she saw blew her mind away more than a writhing python would have, which would actually not have been that surprising in the gothic girl's morbid closet.

Instead, a beautiful swath of periwinkle hanging in the front from a wooden hanger dazzled Kitty's storm gray blue eyes.

She gasped to herself, and reached out to touch the delicate, shimmering baby blue verging on lavender dress before her. It was simple and small, but Kitty knew somehow that it was for her.

This was not a dress that usually adorned Rogue's closet.

Finding a square of paper on the hanger, Kitty read the note from her friend. It read:

"Kitty-I knew you wouldn't be able to keep your grabby paws out of my closet once you got Scott's message. Now that you've found this, maybe you should wear it. I got it for you last minute just in case you change your mind about tonight. I'm not good at picking out all that fluffy, pink, sparkly, girly girl stuff that makes me gag, but I hope this'll do. See you tonight, maybe."

Her heart picked up a faster beat and for the next half hour, Kitty was in a floating daze, speeding absent mindedly through her makeup and doing her hair.

Without even thinking about it, she called a yellow taxi cab. Soon, without even realizing how she had gotten there, her dainty white heel struck the asphalt of the parking lot in front of her school and she was tipping the cab driver, then with click-clacking strappy heels, rushed towards the gymnasium where beats were pumping.

It wasn't until she opened the doors and was suddenly in the outer edge of the paltry gymnasium, where the lights were dimmed and colorful lasers were flashing the dance floor up, and the disco ball spun its reflections, that Kitty stood dumbstruck, realizing the worst. She had crashed the dance, alone, and now she did not know what she was to do, and she was absolutely dateless.

She could not spot her friends from the thick formation of dancing students in the dim gym and suddenly her inspiration and bravado were gone and she felt like an awkward freshman girl at the dance completely alone like a loser.

She gulped, and looked from one happy grooving partner to another, all on the arms of one another, some more intimate, some just having fun.

Wariness crept upon the petite mutant, and her shoulders sank as the song, "Dancing Queen", came on, cueing the DJ to prompt a slow dance song, and a solemn hush filled the gym as students partnered up and slowly danced in the arms of their partners under the romantic spell. Swaying from side to side, Kitty looked around frantically, and then looked to her feet, tapping her heels against the ground and feeling more alienated and out of place.

She thought she glimpsed Rogue's white bangs somewhere in the sea of pressed bodies, but then the lights changed and flickered, casting on someone else's face momentarily.

A tapered hand stuck out just under her chin, where Kitty was looking down, and a calm, deep voice asked, "Would you please give me the honor of having this dance?"

When she didn't look up, the voice asked again worriedly, "Would you like to dance, Kitty?"

Looking up abruptly, Kitty's bangs flew up and her forehead collided with something sharp and hard, making her see a flash for a second of pain.

Clutching her forehead, she could see a boy with his head leaned backwards, through watery eyes.

Rubbing his jaw, Scott looked disarmingly at Kitty whose heart literally stopped, and suddenly the only person in the entire gym was in front of her, with flashes of lights flitting all around them, the music suddenly drowned out by the rushing blood in Kitty's ears.

Kitty clasped her mouth and rushed forward with an onslaught of apologies. Scott held up his hand and put it around hers, and then guided her other hand in his and lead her to the dance floor.

Still not believing what was unfolding, and floating on cloud 9, Kitty was back in the stupor the discovery of the dress gave her. One of hope and fantasy.

The tall boy in front of her, with his arms securely and surprisingly expertly holding her up, was wearing a sharp black tuxedo, and his brown hair was gelled back neatly in a very clean-cut, manly style.

The look suited him, even if it was out of place for Scott Summers, the shy nerd who just could not resist this damsel in distress situation Kitty called upon herself.

Scott spoke first, smiling down easily at her, "You look absolutely s-st-stunning. How did you get a dress so fast?"  
Kitty giggled nervously, deliriously as she gazed up at the ruby glasses covering Scott's eyes. "A fairy godmother must have visited Rogue's closet."

She nudged toward him with a bare shoulder, "How'd you like, find a suit so fast?"

Shrugging innocently, Scott retorted, "Just an old thing I had."

Changing course and spinning her around, Scott breathed in her ear, "I followed you here in case you were wondering. As soon as I heard the front door shutting, I knew where you were going."

The rising crescendo of the music escalated with the drumming heart underneath the simply but elegantly cut bust line of the periwinkle dress.

A lock of curled brunette hair fell between Kitty's eyes and Scott laughed at her cross-eyed expression and gently leaned down, with his strong hand still enveloping her petite waist, while the other held her hand and lead her about the crowded dark dance floor.

Warm lips pressed against hers softly, and the pumping of Kitty's heart all but burst and bled, melting slowly with newfound warmth.

Daringly, the young girl slowly moved her hands up from its place on his broad shoulder, and towards the lapel of his black blazer, then clasped firmly behind his head, at the buzzed nape of his neck.

Loving the feel of the shorter cropped soft hair there, Kitty gently ran her hand up and down the short length of the nape of his neck while Scott Summers, the oblivious senior boy wanted by so many, kissed her, Kitty Pryde, freshman pipsqueak, in the middle of the homecoming dance floor.

Kitty's docile blue gray eyes opened up in blissful shock at her first genuine kiss, but only a moment too soon as a shocked looking redhead in a dark jade dress stood across from them on the dance floor, staring directly into Kitty's open eyes which were peering from behind Scott's shoulder.

As if the eye contact jolted her back to her senses, Kitty jumped back from Scott, breaking their kiss suddenly, leaving Scott leaned forward with a startled expression.

The slow disco-reminiscent music of Abba's Dancing Queen was still playing loudly in the gym.

Scott quickly edged forward and placed his hand squarely on Kitty's lower back, holding her petite self to him by her waist and wryly joking, "Oh no you don't, you're not getting away this time Kitty Pryde, not this time, I've got you now, and we have no excuses… It's okay, everything's okay now."

Kitty squealed in warning, but was cut off by Scott's wonderful lips again, and could not help but succumb, but before closing her eyes in surrender to the kiss, she felt Jean's laser-like glare penetrating Scott's skull to Kitty's face.

A giant bright spot light lit up the dance floor and the music was silenced. A low voice shouted out through the microphone, "Alright, ladies of gentlemen of Bayville High, I have an announcement to make now, so please wait to resume your dancing. Now, the moment we have all been waiting for! The crowning of Homecoming Queen and King!"

Kitty tore away again from Scott's embrace, and shouted something out about it not being right.

Her voice was drowned out by the thundering students who chanted in anticipation.

With a low rumble, the announcer declared, "AND NOW….FOR HOMECOMING KING OF BAYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR! MAY I PLEASE GET A DRUM ROLL FORRRRRRR…DUNCAN MATTHEWS!"

A roar of whooping lit up the gym, and the ape-like football player bolted up to the stage, with his arms up like a champion, making loud bellowing noises as he grabbed the crown and placed it on his own blond head, smugly looking around at the dance floor. He was wearing his red letterman's jacket over his suit, in ceremony of the prior football game.

Kitty could see with panic, Jean making her way towards them, threading between couples glued together, she was on a rampage and you could see it in her eyes that there was no stopping her from reaching her target.

"AND FINALLY….CAN I PLEASE GET A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE HOMECOMING QUEEN OF THE YEAR!" The announcer paused to look down at a ballot.

Jean was almost three bodies away from them now, her arms reaching forward over someone's head, so close….

"JEAN GREY!"

The white column of light swept the students for a second before resting on Jean who blinked and looked around, startled.

"CAN WE GET A MISS JEAN GREY UP HERE PLEASE TO JOIN HER KING?"  
Scott looked behind his shoulder, to see his ex girlfriend lit up underneath the spotlight in an impressive satin jade dress, looking absolutely bewildered. His face was unreadable though.

Reluctantly and stunned, Jean zombie-ishly made her way up to the stage to greet the applause and after some acknowledgement of the disgruntled nominees, the DJ announced a slow song for the King and Queen dance, in which all couples could participate.

All eyes were on Jean and Duncan with their new sashes on, as they swayed onto the dancefloor, Jean looking distractedly over his shoulders.

Kitty almost felt her body hide behind Scott's lanky frame, as he cupped her shoulder delicately and held his hand out to her again, asking shyly, "Will you have this dance with me again?"

With the atmosphere calmed now in a sluggish love song, and swaying together, Scott's chin resting on Kitty's head, whose cheek was resting against his collarbone, Scott said, "I'm sorry about kissing you earlier, I'm sorry if you felt like I was moving too fast…"

Kitty did not even have a reply nor know what to say, this whole night was so fast and so unexpected.

She found her voice, "No Scott it's not that it's-."

A hand impatiently tapped Kitty's shoulder. She turned, face to face with the Homecoming queen of the evening.

The one all the girls wanted to be. Wearing the crown all the girls wanted to wear, with the date all the girls wanted to have. That date was currently lost somewhere making a show of him though in the dance floor.

Jean radiated underneath the shiny tiara, and she asked neutrally, "What are you doing?"

Before anyone could answer, Jean turned dramatically on her heels, and stormed away.

Scott's face fell for a second, then looking at Kitty, he muttered, "Do you mind if I-."

Kitty waved her hand and looked down, "Go."

Scott hesitated, and then chased after Jean.

Another, hand touched Kitty's arm, and then Rogue, with her evening gloves and rocking a plum purple strapless dress with sheer long sleeves, and her dark hair up in a curly southern bun, was next to her, staring after Jean's angry trail. Gambit, wearing a suit underneath a black evening jacket or trench coat, was by Rogue's side and commented to Kitty, "Nice dress, ma Cherie. Now vhere is your homme goin?

Part II

Reaching the outskirts of the crowded dance floor, towards the door, a young redhead in a stylish satin jade dress and red hair in an elegant chignon under a tiara stomped through people to get through. A tall young man in an impeccable black suit and with his brown hair wept back in a sharp look, hurried after her and grabbed her arm, to which she swirled around to glare at him with blazing eyes.

She was shaking, livid, but her eyes were shining with wet tears, threatening to ruin her makeup.

Scott nodded courteously and sincerely, "You look very pretty tonight, Jean."

She did look painfully pretty even in the dark stadium. When she didn't speak, Scott observed, "So you did come to the dance afterall. I thought you weren't. Heck, I didn't even think I was going to until last minute. Congratulations as Queen though, m'lady." He smiled chivalrously, bowing slightly in jest.

Jean bitingly said, "Was it a last minute thing to make out with Kitty?"

Scott cocked his head, "I-don't know. I just. Did it. I wanted to."

Biting back tears, Jean interrogated, "Do you like her, Scott? I mean, really, really like her? I mean, like what the fuck do you see in her? Where did this even come from?"  
Puzzled by the question, Scott looked earnestly into Jean's face and stammered, "I liked you, Jean, I thought I liked you. I made that very clear to you I think, and you broke up with me. You're here with Duncan, you dumped me, led me on saying it was temporary, but you may as well have cheated on me behind my back coming here with Duncan. I wasn't going to go when I was set on asking you months ago. You have no right to ask me how I feel about Kitty."

"I could just as easily read your mind, Scott." Jean said rather futilely, knowing that she would have had she really wanted to know the truth.

"This thing with Duncan is nothing, he's not anything to me, we're just old friends by now, and coming to the dance with him is just for appearances sake, I mean we were both nominated for court, and I couldn't not show up without him as the proper date. But I'm not the one making out with him, Scott Summers!"

"Well you showed me how over it was between us and I tried to move on and give you what you wanted, Jean! You pushed me away, and instead of just going back to being my friend, you shut me out of your life completely, you avoided me for weeks and I just don't have it in me to go through these games with you again, Jean! I know you better than you know yourself sometimes, you said that, but I'm not the telepath here Jean! I don't know exactly what you're thinking when you put this kind of torture up with me! I can't keep doing this for you, if you're not going to just admit how you really feel about me, I can't be who you expect me to be."

Jean looked stricken, then without warning, she shoved Scott against a wall and kissed him roughly, the kind of kiss that comes from a starved, animalistic hunger.

Letting go slowly, she looked up at Scott's face and breathed out, as if asking, now what do you think?

Jean cried out, "It was supposed to be temporary Scott! You weren't supposed to come to the dance with someone else; you weren't supposed to be anyone else's! I just wanted to see if you would miss me more and want to do something more about it."

Scott sighed, "But then you weren't supposed to either, what is the point of this break up anyway if you knew what you wanted? Why the lies and the unnecessary breaks? You're so confusing sometimes when you don't have to be, Jean. I know I'm not the most extroverted guy, but when I try to show you how I feel about you you push me away and tease me, but when I give you space, you act like that's wrong too! What do you want from me? You can't control me and you can't expect anything from me and go off with someone else."

A tear fell from Jean's eye and she sniffed, falling against Scott, who reluctantly put his arms around her, as they swayed slowly to the slow song, in one last dance as he comforted her.

Jean whispered against his lapel, "What if I said it was over then? This stupid break? And I wanted you back and if I told you I take it all back, I never wanted to lose you, I didn't mean to push you away."

Gently letting her go, Scott chided, "I couldn't say the same then. You broke up with me, and instead of getting back together you held it off, and I learned to move on. It's just, a lot for me to think about, Jean, I would need some more…time….To think about this, about us. But for now, I, I can't. I can't go back to how things were either before you broke up with me, things aren't the same with me, and I don't want to go back to that. Maybe we both just need more time and space now….I'll understand if you still don't want to talk to me for a while."

Jean cried silently, "But I missed you, so much Scott. And-and, when I saw Clover all over you, I realized my plan was backfiring on me, it made me realize even more than I needed, how much I wanted you for myself."

Scott backtracked, "Clover? What's she got to do with anything? She's just a classmate….Oh, are you talking about-oh, Jean! Clover's just like that, she's super friendly, I can't believe you thought she and I actually-no way. And I've been right here for you all along; you didn't need any plan or anything."

Jean looked hopefully again at Scott, but she was jerked away from him suddenly, when Duncan appeared, grabbing her.

Rudely, he snickered at Scott, "I didn't know freaks could come to high school dances. Back off from my girl Summers, she's mine now."

Jean pulled away from Duncan and hissed, "I am not yours, Duncan! We're never getting back together! This is just a stupid dance!"

Some people around them that had heard and looked on the spectacle, gasped at the homecoming queen's outburst.

Scott opened up his palms and calmly stated, "She's not mine to take Duncan, and neither is she yours. I'm not trying to steal your date though, so relax, man. I'm here with someone else; Jean and I were just catching up. I believe you still have a dance to finish. Treat her right."

Turning away from them, Scott exited peaceably to find his date.

He found her leaning against a wall amidst the bopping jumping up and down bodies of students in party gear dancing to a fast-paced pop song. She was not joining in, merely watching as Rogue angrily swatted at Remy who was picking her up, twirling her around and basically forcing the southern belle to dance with him to the upbeat music.

Grabbing her from behind, Scott twisted Kitty around and her face lit up at the sight of him. She imploringly gazed at him and he grinned reassuringly, before bending her backwards over his arm and swooping in to peck her on the cheek.

After dancing the rest of the night away, so hard that eventually the gym became too hot, Scott found himself loosening his tie and Kitty danced her feet off until they were sore so she had to take off her shoes.

The music dwindled to an end, and tired happy couples left the dance in good spirits.

Draping his blazer around Kitty's thin shoulders, Scott picked up the barefoot girl, with her shoes dangling from his fingers, and plopped her down in his convertible, driving to the nearest burger place.

They waited in line for their French fries and burgers.

Scott timidly queried, "Kitty I know now might not be the appropriate time, but…would you count this as our first…date?"

Kitty munched on a fry and thought for a bit, before slyly giving him a sidelong smile, "Oh, it's our first un_official_ date. You've got some more to do."

Scott grinned, "So…you would say we could maybe do this again sometime?"

Kitty shyly smiled back, "If you'd want to, Scott."


End file.
